Tricolor variegated pittosporum plant

ABSTRACT

A pittosporum plant which has a dwarf habit of growth and having leaf blades which are variegated, there being irregularly shaped areas of three different colors present on the variegated leaves, such being dark green, medium green and pale yellow. The variegated leaves do not have a uniform pattern of variegation, and the pattern of variegation differs from leaf to leaf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofpittosporum plant of the variety Pittosporum tobira, which originatedand was discovered by me as a cultivated sport of the variety known as"Wheeler's dwarf". The sport was discovered by me on a Pittosporumtobira "Wheeler's dwarf" being grown and cultivated by me in a nurseryin Corpus Christi, Tex. Upon discovery of the sport, I observed thatsubstantially all of the leaves of the sport, unlike the dark greenleaves of the parent plant, were variegated with three colors present,such being dark green, medium green and pale yellow. In order todetermine whether or not the sport would asexually reproduce, Iperformed an initial experiment wherein I made two cuttings from thesport, and from such two cuttings I was able to asexually reproduceabout 20 plants on their own roots, all of which plants had the samecharacteristics as the sport, and all four of which constituted a newand distinct variety of pittosporum. In the initial experiment, onlyabout four of the cuttings did not survive.

Subsequent to the initial experiment, in due course I asexuallyreproduced numerous of the new and distinct variety of pittosporum fromother cuttings of the original sport, as well as from cuttings from thefirst generation plants grown in the initial experiment described above,and all of the descendant plants show the same characteristics as theoriginal sport. As a result of extensive observations and tests whichare not described in full herein for sake of brevity, it is my opinionand I am convinced that my new plant is a new variety of pittosporumwhich is distinguished from all other varieties of which I am aware asevidenced by the following unique combination of principalcharacteristics which are outstanding therein:

(1) A dwarf and compact habit of growth makes it especially suitable asa border plant, as a small hedge, in planter boxes and as a pot plant;

(2) A slow rate of growth which is advantageous in that frequent pruningis not necessary to maintain the shrub in a pleasing shape;

(3) An ability to be asexually reproduced;

(4) The ability to provide a shrub having three colors by reason of thevariegated nature of broadleaf evergreen leaves occuring on the newvariety, the variegation consisting of irregular shaped areas of darkgreen, medium green and pale yellow, with the dark green area of a leafgenerally being in the central base area of the leaf, and the mediumgreen and pale yellow areas generally forming an irregular margin areaon each leaf, the pattern of variegation varying from leaf to leaf, andwhich leaves grow alternately in a whorl on the branches;

(5) The ability to tolerate pruning in order that attractive shapes canbe maintained.

Asexual reproductions of my new variety as by cuttings shows that theforegoing charateristics and distinction come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

Although all or substantially all of the leaves on the plant of my newvariety are variegated with three colors as herein described, there maybe and usually are present some leaves which are not variegated but aredark green like the leaves of the parent plant. These non-variegatedleaves may be entirely eliminated from successive generations of plantsbut have not been completely eliminated from all of the plants grown todate.

The accompanying FIG. 1 shows a typical young specimen plant of my newvariety and the variegated nature and color of leaves thereof. Eventhough the plant illustrated in FIG. 1 is young, the leaves are matureleaves and the colors shown are the colors for the mature leaves and arenot the colors for new leaves hereafter described. The true color of thefoliage is described in the following description and is best depictedby the views in the figures which depict the color as nearly as true asis reasonably possible in a color illustration of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new variety ofpittosporum, with color numbers in accordance with the Pantone MatchingSystem of colors for printing inks, 16th edition, published by Pantone,Inc., 1977. Terms used to describe colors are those of ordinarysignificance.

THE PLANT

Parentage: A cultivated sport of "Wheeler's dwarf" variety ofPittosporum tobira.

Growth habit: Compact, dwarf; slow growing; the height of an unprunedmature plant will probably be from about 1.5 to 2 meters, but has notyet been determined. The plant grows full from just above ground levelupward, with the width of the plant about the same as the height.

Hardiness: Adapted to seaside planting; tolerates droughts; will notwithstand prolonged and severe freezing weather; most suitable for theSouthern United States from California to Florida, in the areas known asZones 9 and 10.

Branches: The plant is tightly branched from just above ground levelwith main branches ascending and with branching at each node. The plantdoes not develop a central leader or trunk. New growth of branches islight green changing to light brown and later to dark brown as branchesmature.

Foliage:

Type.--Broadleaf evergreen; petioled; grow alternately in a whorl onbranches.

Shape.--Oblanceolate, more or less, with entire margins. Apex is obtuse,and base is acuminate.

Petioles.--Length -- from about 3 to 5 mm; color light green.

Leaf size.--Length of mature leaf from about 4 to 8 cm; width of matureleaf about 13 to 25 mm. Size of leaf varies according to sunshineconditions at the time the leaf is produced, with larger leaves beingproduced under cloudy conditions than under sunny conditions.

Venation.--Pinnately. Midrib on under surface prominent and readilyapparent; on upper surface midrib is clearly visible and pronounced, andis of a lighter color than surrounding areas of the leaf; lateral veinsare not readily apparent.

Color of variegated leaves.--Mature leaves: upper surface -- dark green,Color No. 350C, with variegated margins comprised of irregularly shapedareas of medium green, Color No. 392U, and of pale yellow, Color No.113U; the line of intersection between the green of the central area andthe margin being relatively sharp, but being an irregular line such thatthe depth of the margin is very irregular and sometimes occupies theentire tip, or outer half, of a leaf blade, the width of the margingenerally varying from about 1 to 10 mm; the pattern of variegation isnot uniform and varies from leaf to leaf; under surface -- similar tothe upper surface but lighter colors. New leaves: upper surface --generally darker than mature leaves with the three colors being darkgreen, Color No. 378U and light green, Color No. 390U; nature and widthof margins same as on mature leaves. Most of the variegation is on theouter half (tip) of the leaf blade. The dark green, Color No. 350C, of amature leaf is the same as the dark green of tne non-variegated"Wheeler's dwarf" variety of the parent plant.

Leaf texture.--Tough, leathery; smooth; upper surface -- semi-glossy;lower surface -- dull.

Flowers.--The nature of the flowers that will be produced has not beendetermined. Flowers of the parent and of related plants are an ivorycolor, each flower being about 15 mm in diameter; and, it is expectedthat the flowers on the plant herein claimed and described will besimilar to those on the parent.

To further describe my new variety of pittosporum, it is very similar insize and growth habit to the "Wheeler's dwarf" variety of Pittosporumtobira except for the variegated nature of substantially all of the leafblades on my new variety, and except that my new variety is slowergrowing than the "Wheeler's dwarf". The dark green portion (Color No.350C) of the mature leaves on my new variety is substantially the samegreen as the green of the "Wheeler's dwarf".

There is a variegated form of Pittosporum tobira known as Pittosporumtobira variegata. My new variety differs from Pittosporum tobiravariegata in that it is slower growing and in that my new variety has adwarf habit of growth. Also the leaves on the Pittosporum tobiravariegata have only two colors in the variegation, the leaf blades ofthe Pittosporum tobira variegata having a creamy white margin.

I have also discovered a new and distinct variety of pittosporum plantof the variety Pittosporum tobira the leaf blades of which have avariegated pattern consisting of only two colors, that is of (1) saidmedium green color no. 392U, and of (2) said pale yellow Color No. 113Uin the margins. The said new variety having only two colors is thesubject of my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,919 issued Nov. 2, 1982.

VARIETY NAME

The proposed variety name of my new plant is Pittosporum tobira"Turner's Dwarf Tricolor".

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of pittosporum, substantially asherein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty bythe unique combination of: A dwarf and compact habit of growth makes itespecially suitable as a border plant, as a small hedge, in planterboxes and as a pot plant; a slow rate of growth which is advantageous inthat frequent pruning is not necessary to maintain the shrub in apleasing shape; an ability to be asexually reproduced; the ability toprovide a shrub having three colors by reason of the variegated natureof all or substantially all of the broadleaf evergreen leaves occuringon the new variety, the variegation consisting of irregular shaped areasof dark green, medium green and pale yellow, with the dark green area ofa leaf generally being in the central base area of the leaf, and themedium green and pale yellow areas generally forming an irregular marginarea on each leaf, the pattern of variegation varying from leaf to leaf,and which leaves grow alternately in a whorl on the branches; and theability to tolerate pruning in order that attractive shapes can bemaintained.